Machine for unhairing hides



(No Model.) 4Sheets -Sheet 1.

V -J. W. VAUGHN. MACHINE FOR UNHAIRING HIDES.

Patented Nov. 15, 1887-.

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N. PETEIIS. Phalo-Lilhcgnphur, Washinglnn, D. (L

'(No Model.) I I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. W.. VAUGHN. MAGHINE FOR UNHAIRING- HIDES.

No. 373,112." Patented Nov. 15, 1887.

I u .LJJWWLL v o v 4 Shets--Sheet 4.

J. W. VAUGHN- MACHINE FOR UNHAIRING HIDES.

' Patented Nov. 15, 1887 'NlTED TATES JOSEPH W; VAUGHN, OF PEABODY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE VAUGHN MOROCCO MACHINE COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

MACHINE FOR UNHAIRING HIDES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,112, dated November 15, 1887. Application filed May 25, 1887. Serial No. 239,283. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. VAUGHN, of Peabody, in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Unhairing and Green-Shaving Hides and Skins, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure l is a side elevation of my improved machine, the table being shown in position for receiving the hide or skin; Fig. 2, an end elevation of the same as viewed from the right; Fig. 3, an end elevation of the table detached, the parts being shown in position for receiving the hide or skin; Fig. 4, a vertical transverse section taken on the dotted line a: m in Fig. 1, as viewed from the right; Fig. 5, an end elevation of the table detached, the parts being shown in the position they assume when the table has received the hide .or skin and performed its forward movement beneath the roll; Fig. 6, an end elevation of the machine as viewed from. the left; Fig. 7, a side elevation of one of the arms in which the roll is mounted detached; Fig. 8, a perspective view of one of the counterbalancing-weights detached; and Fig. 9, a diagram showing a portion of the table enlarged.

Like letters" of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

My invention relates to that class of machines which are employed in the manufacture of leather for unhairing and green-shaving the hides and skins; and it consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed, by which a more effective device of this character is produced than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation.

1n the drawings, A A represent the sills or bed-pieces; B G l) E, the main posts; F G, the- O P Q, the girders, these partsbeing properly connected and constituting the body or framework of the machine.

Arranged longitudinally of the machine and journaled horizontally in suitable boxes supported by the girders M P there is a shaft, R, provided at its right-hand end (as viewed from the front of the machine) with the large gear S, and at its left-hand end with two arms, TU. These arms project at right angles to the shaft, are adj ustably connected thereto by clamps 12, and provided at their outer or free ends with anti-friction rolls 13. The arm T is also provided with an anti-friction roll, 14, which is journaled on its inner side near the outer end and adapted to strike a cam-shaped projection, 15, on the outer face of the post B, and thereby prevent said arm from bending or springing laterally when it strikes the cam on the shippingbar, as hereinafter described.

Mounted on the shaft R and rigidly secured thereto are hubs 16, and projectingradially from said hubs at one side thereof are a series of spokes, 17, standing at right angles to the shaft R, and carrying at their outer ends the segment ofa cylinder, 18, which is preferably composed of iron and cast integral with the spokes and hubs, said segment being arranged longitudinally of the machine and in parallelism with the shaft It.

A series of wooden staves, l9,'are arranged longitudinally on the segment 18 and secured thereto by bolts, (not shown,) said staves be ing curved laterally or in cross-section to correspond with the curvature of the segment. A coating of felt or similar material, 20, is secured to the staves, and over this is placed a oovering'of leather, 21, to form a cushion for the hide or skin.

Pivoted at their lower ends, to swing freely on the shaft B, there are two upwardly-projecting arms, 22, which are connected by a horizontally arranged bar, 23, and secured to the outer or free ends'of said arms there is a horizontally-arranged crossbar, which projects laterally toward the front of the machine to form the jaw 24:.

A horizontally-arranged cross-bar, 25, is secured to two of the spokes 17, near the front edge of the segment 18, as best seen in Fig. 3, said bar being provided with a longitudinal groove or socket, 26, adapted to receive the jaw 2-1, said jaw and socket constituting a clamp in which one edge of the hide or skin is grasped, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Each end of the bar 23 projects beyond the arms 22, and attached to the inner face of each of the posts B D, near its upper eud,there is a stop, 27, the projecting ends of said bar resting against said stops when the table is in position to receive the hide or skin.

A vertically-arranged bar, 28, is rigidly secured to the spokes 17 near each end of the segment 18, as best seen in Figs. 3 and 6, the upper end of each of said bars being provided with a counterbalaneing-weight, 29, and with a rubber cushion, 30, said cushions being adapted to strike stops or projections 31, secured to the rear sides of the arms 22. A chain, 32, is secured near each end of the bar 24, as shown at 33, said chains passing downward over the rear of the bar 23 through sheave-blocks 34, secured to the segment 18 near its forward edge, and thence, respectively, between sheaves and 36, journaled in the upper ends of the arms 28, as best seen in Figs. 3 and 5, said chains being provided at their lower ends with weights 37, which constantly tend to force or draw the arms 22 forward and keep the ends of the bar 23 against the stops 27. Two straps, 40, are secured at 46 to the rear of the bar 23, said straps'passing in front of a guide-roll, 41, and over pulleys 42, mounted on a shaft, 43,which isjournaled horizontally in hangers 44, suspended from the ceiling of the room in which the machine is placed, said straps being provided with weights at their free ends to maintain a constant but yielding tension on the straps, the object of said straps and weights being to keep the hide or skin in proper position on the table as it rotates. The guide-roll 41 is journaled in suitable bearings (not shown) supported on the girders O L.

The segment 18, mounted on the shaft R, I denominate, for convenience of reference, the table V.

livoted at 50, on each of the girders L and 0, there is a horizontally-arranged arm; 51, said arms being respectively provided at their rear ends with weights 52, and jointed at their forward ends to the upper ends of rods 53, as shown at 54-, the lower ends of said rods being jointed at 58 to arms on a treadlerod, 56, which is journaled horizontally on the girders N Q, and provided with an ordinary treadle or foot-piece, 57. A-roll, \V, mounted 011 a shaft, 60, is journaled horizontally in suitable boxes disposed midway between the pivots 50 and ends 51L on the arms 51, said roll being provided with a series of long metallic flanges, 61, which start at the center and pass spirally around the same to either end thereof, each of said flanges being provided with a series of short or auxiliary flanges, 62, arranged at an angle thereto, as fully shown in Fig. 1.

The body of the roll is preferably composed of wood,and the flanges may be secured thereto in any suitable manner. When the machine is used for unhairing, the flanges should extend the entire length of the body of the roll; but when it is used for green-shaving it is preferable that they should cover the central portion only,or, for instance, that portion lying between the straps 40. flanges should also be sharper or more angular when used for green-shaving than when used for nnhairing.

The shaft 60,011 which the roll 1V is mounted, projects beyond the girders O L, and is provided at the right-hand end with a sprocketwheel,65,and the left-hand end with a sprockwheel, 66. A main driving-shaft, 67, is journaled horizontally at the rear of the machine on the girders O L I, said shaft being provided at its righthand end with a main driving-pulley, 6S, alarge fast pulley, 69, a smaller fast pulley, 70, and a sprocket-wheel, 7t, (but partially shown,) and at its left-hand end with a sprocket-wheel, 72. The sprocketwheel 71 at the right-hand end of the main shaft 67 is connected by a chaiirbelt,73, with the sprocket-wheel on the right-hand end of the rollshaft 60, and the sprocket-wheel 72 at the lefthand end of said main shaft 67 is connected with the sprocket-wheel U6 on the left-hand end of said roll-shaft by a chain belt, 75. A counter-shaft, 76, is journaled horizontally near the front of the machine in suitable boxes supported by the girders J M, said shaft being provided at its outer end with a small sprocket-wheel, 77, and centrally with a large fast pulley, 79, a large loose pulley, 80, a small fast pulley, S1, and a small loose pulley, 82.

A horizontally-arranged shaft, 83, is journaled at the rear of the machine in suitable bearings supported on the posts G E, said shaft being provided at its inner end with a pinion or small gear, 84, which intermeshes with the large gear S, and at its outer end with a large sprocket-wheel, 85, which is connected with the small sprocket-wheel 77 on the counter-shaft 76 by a chain belt, 86. The large fast pulley 69 on the main shaft 67 is connected-with the pulleys 81 and 82 by a belt, 87, and the small fast pulley 70 on said main shaft is connected with the pulleys 79 and 80 by a crossed belt, 88.

A horizontally-arranged shipping-bar, 90, is fitted to work in suitable bearings on the posts B D, at the front of the machine, said bar being provided at its left-hand end with an ellipsoidal cam, Y, which is so arranged as to be alternately engaged by the arms T U on the shaft R, and thereby cause said bar to slide to the right or left, as the case may be.

A horizontally-arranged rocking shaft, 91, is journaled in suitable bearings on the posts F G at the right-hand end of the machine, said shaft being provided with a downwardlyprojecting arm, 92, at its forward end, which is jointed at its lower end, as shown at 93, to one end of a pitman-rod, 9a, the opposite end of said rod being pivoted at to the ship- The edges of the lOS ping-bar 90. A downwardly-projecting arm, 96, is secured to the rocking shaft 91, at the rear of the post F, and pivoted to the lower end of said shaft there is a shippingbar 97, arranged in parallelism withthc bar 90, and provided with a stud, 98, which projects from said bar at the left-hand side of the crossed belt 88. An upwardly-projecting arm, 99, is also secured centrally on the rocking shaft 91, and jointed to the upper end of said arm, as shown at 100, there is a rod, 101, which is jointed at its inner end, as shown at 102, to a vertically-arranged shipping-bar, 103, pivoted in a bracket, 104, on the girder J, said bar being provided at its lower end with studs 105,

' in the usual manner, between which the belt 87 runs.

A vertically-arranged shipping-lever, 106, provided with a handle, 107, at its upper end, is pivoted at 108 to a cross-bar, 109, the lower end of said lever beingjointed to the shippingbar 90, as shown at 110.

A crossbar, 112, (a portion of which is rep resented as broken away,) is secured to the posts F D, and pivoted to said bar at 113 there is a lever, 114, provided at its upper end with a handle, 115, and at it's lower end with studs 116, in the usual manner, between which the crossed belt 88 runs, the hand-levers 114 and 106 being designed for Shipping the belts by hand when necessary.

A stop, 120, is secured to the frame-work of the machine, beneath the rear end of each of the arms 51, to prevent said arms from dropping too low, and there are also adj nstable stops or plates 125 secured to the tops of the girders L O,beneath the forward ends of said arms, to regulate the descent-stop of the roller, or stop it atany desired point in its downward movement when pressure is appliedby the treadle 57.

In the use of my improved machine thehide or skin to be operated upon is placed on the table V, with one of its ends or sides slightly overhanging the bar 25 at the forward or upper edge of said table. Power is then applied to the main driving-pulley 68, and the crossed belt 88 shipped from the loose pulley onto the fast pulley 79 by the hand-lever 114, thereby causing the table V to be revolved from the front toward the rear of the machine. The bar 23, being forcibly held against the stops 27 by the weights 37 and chains 32, when the table V has proceeded far enough toward the rear to engage the jaw 24, that portion of the hide or skin which overhangs thebar 25 will be forced by said jaw into the groove 26 and thereby firmly clamped. The roll NV is now caused to press on the hide by means of the treadle 57, said roll being revolved in a direction opposite to that in which the table is revolving, or in such a direction as to oppose the passage of the hide or skin beneath it, thereby unhairing or green-shaving it, as the case may be, in a manner which will be readily obvious without a more explicit descrip' tion. When the table has revolved far enough to submit all portions of the hide or skin to the action of the roll W, the arm U will be brought into contact with the outer edge of the cam Y on the shipping bar 90, thereby causing said bar to slide to the right and ship the belt 88 onto the loose pulley 80 and the belt 87 onto the fast pulley 81, thus causing the movement of the table to be reversed. The foot of the workman is now removed from the treadle 57, thereby permitting the weights 52 on the arms 51 to raise the roll W out of con tact with the hide or skin, and as the table continues to revolve toward the front the bar 23 on the arms 22 is again brought into contact with the stops 27 at the front ends of the girders O L, thereby stopping the advance of said arms. advance a short distance, or until the cush ions 30 on the arms 28 strike the stops or projections 31 on the arms 22, the jaw 24 inthe .mean time being withdrawn from the socket or groove 26, and the hide or skin released, after which it is removed and replaced by an other preparatory to repeating the operation. When the table V is returning, after the hide or skin has been advanced beneath the roll W, as described, the arm T is brought into contact with the inner edge of the cam Y and the bar 90 moved to the left, th reby shipping the belt 87 onto the loose pulley 82 and stopping. the table at the moment the table reaches its normal position, said cam being also brought thereby into proper position to be again acted The table, however, continues to ICO upon by the arm U, as before described. The

hand shipping-lever 106 enables the movements of the table to be reversed by the workman at any desired point without waiting for the automatic shipping of the belt 87 by the action of the arm U on the cam Y, as described. As the table V rotates from front to rear, the straps 40 are wrapped around the hide onskin at the rear of the roll W, thereby keeping it in position and preventing it from dropping from the table at the rear of the machine when the table is in the position shown in Fig. 5, the straps being kept taut by the weights '45 during both the advance and return movements of the table.

I do not confine myself to the use of a clamp, constructed precisely as shown and described, for securing the hide or skin to the table, as any suitable device for that purpose may be employed. Neither do I confine myself to the specific devices shown and described for shipping the belts; nor to the use of a roll, W, constructed in any special manner, as any suitable roll may be employed for scraping or shaving the hide or skin, as the case may be; nor to constructing the table in the manner shown and described, although I deem the same preferable. Neither do I confine myself to using a semicylindrical table, as a cylindrical table or roll for holding the hide or skin may be employed if provided with suitable means for clamping or securing the hide or skin thereon; nor to the use of a treadle for cansing the scrapers or cutters on the roll W to scrapers or cutters, instead of moving said roll toward the table, if preferred, without departing from the spirit of my invention. A spring or springs may be used in place of the cords 32 and weigh ts 37, ifdesired. The groove in the bar25 may also be omitted. Either of the stops 31 or 32 mav be omitted b I increasim the size of the other; or said stops may be transposed, if desired. Neither do I confine myself to using two connterbalancingweights, 52, for the roll \V, as one may be employed, if preferred. The counterbalancing-weight for the roll may also be placed on an arm projecting from the treadlc 57 at the rear of the shaft or rod 56, and perform the same function as when placed on the arm 5L.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination herein described, consisting of a reciprocating rotary table, a clamp ing device for securing a hide or skin to said table, a roll provided peripherally with scrapers or cutters and journaled in pivoted arms, a counterbalancing weight or weights for said roll, means for causing said scrapers or cutters to press against a hide or skin on said table, and operative mechanism for the table and roll. substantially as described.

2. The combination herein described. consisting of a reciprocating rotary table, a clamping device for securing a hide or skin to said table, a roll provided peripherally with scrapers or cutters and journaled in pivoted arms, a counterbalancing weight or weights for said roll, means for causing said scrapers or cutters to press against a hide or skin on said table, means for reversing the movements of the table, and operative mechanism for the table and roll, substantially as described.

3. The combination herein described, con sisting of a reciprocating rotary table, a clam ping device for securing a hide or skin to said table, a roll provided peripherally with scrapers or cutters and journaled in pivoted arms, a counter-balancing weight or weights for said roll, means for causing said scrapers or cutters to press against :1 hide or skin on said table, means for reversing the movements of the table, means for moving the scrapers or cutters away from the hide or skin, and operative mechanism for the table and roll, substantially as described.

4. The combination herein described, consisting of a reciprocating rotary table, a clamp ing device adapted to automatically secure a hide or skin to said table, a roll provided peripherally with scrapers or cutters and journaled in pivoted arms, a counterbalancing weightor weights fol-said roll, means for causing said scrapers or cutters to press against the hide or skin, and operative mechanism for the table and roll, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination herein described, consisting of a reciprocating rotary table, a cl amping device adapted to automatically secure a hide or skin to said table, means for automatically releasing a hide or skin from said table, a roll provided peripherally with scrapers or cutters and journaled in pivoted arms, a coun terbalancing weight or weights for said roll, means for causing said scrapers or cutters to press against a hide or skin on said table, and operative mechanism for said table and roll, substantially as described.

6. in a machine for unhairing or greenshaving hides or skins, a rotary table, means for automatically securing a hide or skin to said table, means for automatically releasing a hide or skin from said table, a journaled roll provided peripheral ly with scrapers or cutters, means for causing said scrapers or cutters to press against a hide or skin on said table, means for reversing the movements of said table, means for moving said scrapers or cutters away from the hide or skin. and operative mechanism for the table and roll, substantially as set forth.

7. In a machine for unhai ring or greenshaving hides or skins, the combination of the following instrumentalitics, to wit: a framework or body, a semicylindrical table journalcd horizontally in said body, a roll provided with scrapers or cutters and journaled in parallelism with said tablein pivoted arms mounted onsaid body, a clamping mechanism for automatically securing the hide or skin to said table, means for automatically releasing the hide or skin from said table, a treadlc mechanism for depressing said roll and exerting a pressure on a hide or skin disposed on said table, means for elevating said roll or moving it away from said table, an automatic shipping mechanism adapted to reverse the movements of the table and stop it when it has returned to its normal position, and a hand shipping mechanism for starting the machine, substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the character described, the pivoted arms 22, provided with thejaw 24, in combination with the bar 25, astop for said arms, and means for forcing said jaw against the hide or skin to clamp or secure it to the table, substantially as set forth.

9. In a machine of the character described, the pivoted arms 22, provided with the jaw 24, and bar .2), in combination with the grooved bar 25, cords 32, weights 37, and stops 27, substantially as described. 4

10. In a machine of the character described, the arms 28, provided with steps 30, in combination with the stops 27, and pivoted arms 22, provided with the stops 31, and bar 23, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. In a machine ofthe character described, the table V, having the segment 18, provided with the staves 19, and covered with felt 20 and leather 21, substantially as described.

12. Ina machine of the character described, the arms T U, mounted on the shaft R, in

combination with the shipping-bar 90, .provided with the cam Y, substantially as set forth.

13. The roll W, journaled in the pivoted arms 51, provided with the weights 52, in combination with the treadle mechanism for depressing said roll and causing it to press on ahide on the table V, substantially as described.

14. In a machine of the character described, a table mounted on the shaft R, provided with the gear S, in combination with the shaft 83, provided with the pinion 84 and sprocketwhee185, shaft 76, provided with the sprocketwheel 77 and pulleys 79, 80, 81, and 82, shaft 67, provided with the pulleys 69 70, belts 86 87 88, and shipping mechanism for the belts 87 and 88, substantially as set forth.

15. In a machine of the character described, a table mounted on the shaft R, provided with the gear S, in combination with the shaft 83, provided with the pinion 84 and sprocketthe rocking shaft 91, provided with the arms 92, 96, and 99, the bar 97, pivoted to the arm 96 and provided with the stud 98, the pivoted lever 103, provided with the studs 105, the

bar 94, pivoted to the bar 90 and arm 92, and the bar 101, pivoted to the arm 99, and lever 103, for automatically shipping the belts 87 and 88, substantially as set forth.

JOSEPH W. VAUGHN. Witnesses:

O. M. SHAW, E. L. SAWYER. 

